R-II construction projects making progress
While there may not be a lot of visual progress on the new performing arts center at Maryville High School, R-II Assistant Superintendent Steve Klotz said at Wednesday’s school board meeting that concrete footings are expected to be put into place at both the high school and Eugene Field Elementary School for planned renovations of the cafeteria, kitchen and commons areas.
Klotz also said subcontractors are reviewing drawings to submit any change requests at the high school and that the next big step following the installation of the footings would be the structure.
“We anticipate probably next week to start seeing footings come in, hopefully at both sites,” Klotz said. “… The big thing after that at the high school will be the structure going up. That’ll be truly like an erector set.”
Klotz also said bi-weekly meetings with contractors, architects and project managers have begun to help keep the administration abreast of the progress.
“Overall, things are going well,” Klotz said. “The contractors and architects seem to be communicating well with each other.”
Klotz said both projects have estimated completion dates, but neither have any extra says built in to account for weather or any other unanticipated setbacks. January 2016, Klotz said is the “aggressive” estimated completion at Eugene Field while the performing arts center is expected to be finished by August 2016.
“Depending on what the weather does and if they get closed in before the weather turns south in the winter, hopefully things will go well,” Klotz said. “But they don’t have any cushion in that schedule, it’s all if everything lines up.”
In addition to the construction update, the R-II School Board:
- Approved the sale of the 2014-15 Building Trades Home, which was built by Northwest Technical School students and is located at 308 E. 6th St., to Matthew and Lindsay Diggs for $130,000.
- Approved the addition of an elementary school yearbook advisor to the extra duties salary schedule. In the past, the position had been contracted out, but will now be placed on tier one of the extra duty schedule — the same as the Maryville Middle School yearbook advisor position.
- Approved a memorandum of understanding with the city of Maryville for a school resource officer to serve Maryville High School, Northwest Technical School, Maryville Middle School, Eugene Field Elementary School and the ACES program. Under the agreement with the city, which was also approved by the city council on Monday, the school district pays 75 percent of his salary while the city pays the other 25 percent.
- Moved the start time of board meetings to 6 p.m. with executive session to follow. Previously, meetings began at 7:30 p.m., immediately following executive session. Last month, the board approved moving meetings from the third Tuesday of the month to the third Wednesday.
The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, August 19.
